MBIE hired security company to teach employees how to create fake online personas
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) spent $112,000 teaching its staff how to use fake social media profiles to get information on people. The contract with ZX Security was published to the MBIE website on the 18th December 2018, although it was signed by ZX Security and MBIE a year ago. The contract details elements of the workshops, and what employees are expected to learn. "The provider will deliver an advanced social media training course to Ministry workers using false personas on social media for verification and investigation purposes," the document states. Modules such as "harvesting information from social media and other sources with minimal programming knowledge" and "how to maintain multiple identities across various social networks by creating a backstory for your personas" are detailed in the contract. Employees will also be taught "systems and processes for sending and receiving anonymous messages (SMS and email)" and "how to extract meta-data from images such as GPS coordinates and device information (e.g mobile phone/camera model)". As well as maintaining false identities, MBIE staff learned how to identify people on social media by their use of language and how to "harvest information from social networks".At the end of the course, a workshop is offered. The workshop aims to have attendees "use the skills gained during the course to create a detailed dossier on a group or individual". MBIE employees in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland are doing the courses. Class sizes are roughly 10 people, according to the contract and the course is scheduled to be completed by March 2021. A spokesperson from MBIE told NZME that the contract is still in force, but would not directly answer why employees received the training, or what it was for. ZX Security, the company running the courses, is an IT security company based in Wellington. The company was established in 2013 and specialises in security and "open source intelligence". The company website details open source intelligence training as "the techniques and tools used to conduct successful investigations over the internet". The director of ZX Security was approached for comment, but declined to speak.
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Witnesses sought in relation to mass disorder on K-Road Auckland
Police are appealing to the public for any footage they may have of the mass disorder that occurred on Karangahape Road in Auckland in the early hours of Sunday 28 December.
Emergency services were called to the disorder around 3.41am where it is estimated around over 50 people were present.
A Police investigation is underway after there were three serious assaults on and around Karangahape Road during the mass disorder.
A portal has been set up to allow the public to upload any footage they have of the disorder and the serious assaults.
The portal is https://dahr.nc3.govt.nz/
Police have arrested one person but are asking for help to identify and locate others involved.
• Around 4:15am there was a serious assault outside the Crown Bar on Queen Street.
A 33-year-old man received serious injuries and was hospitalised.
The offender is still unknown, and the Police file number is 251228/4647.
• Around 4:30am there was another serious assault on a Cobden Steet just off Karangahape Road.
A 27-year-old man received serious injuries and was hospitalised.
The offender is still unknown, and the Police file number is 251228/4462.
• Around 5am there was third serious assault at the Mobil Service Station on the corner or Karangahape Road and Ponsonby Road.
A 46-year-old man received serious injuries and was hospitalised.
A 21-year-old man has been charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
He has been bailed to appear in court again on 16 January 2026.
The Police file number is 251228/4774.
Police would like to speak to anyone who has witnessed or filmed the assaults.
Witnesses can call Police directly on 105.
Please quote one of the above file numbers.
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